Intuit's "We Care and Give Back Program" at Blossom!

Intuit's "We Care and Give Back Program" at Blossom!

Jennifer Lin from Intuit spent four days in October volunteering at Blossom as part of the "We Care and Give Back Program." While she was here, Blossom's outreach coordinator Tobi took a few minutes to interview Jennifer about Intuit's volunteer programs and her experience volunteering at Blossom.

Tobi: Tell me a little about Intuit's volunteering program that allowed you to volunteer here at Blossom.

Jennifer: Intuit makes software, including QuickBooks, Quicken, TurboTax, Mint.com and more. They have a program called the "We Care and Give Back" Program. This program provides Intuit employees with yearly time to volunteer with a non-profit. There is a list of approved organizations, or the employee can ask for approval for an organization of their choice. Employees have the option of spending a certain number of hours volunteering at an organization of your choice. Sometimes this is used by an entire team for a team-building event.

Tobi: How do Intuit Volunteers usually use their volunteering hours?

Jennifer: Intuit is always encouraging employees to take advantage of the  "We Care and Give Back Program." I know that some people use just a few hours at a time to volunteer on a weekly basis. Other people use all the hours at once. The biggest challenge is probably finding the time to volunteer while balancing the demands of work.  I am fortunate to have a manager that supports the program which has given me the opportunity to give back to the community.

Tobi: Why did you chose to volunteer at Blossom?

Jennifer: Well, I take prenatal yoga here, and I really appreciate what you do, as an organization. I knew Blossom had other services, but I only realized the true extent of your services by spending a few days volunteering in the office.

Tobi: What is one thing you learned from volunteering here at Blossom?

Jennifer: I realized what a lean staff you have, running so many different programs. That's a really big feat for just a few people.

Tobi: What projects did you help with during your time at Blossom?

Jennifer: Probably my main project was looking into helping Blossom to improve retail/resale experience in the Beanstalk. I looked at all aspects of the Beanstalk both in-store and on-line. I also helped with preparations for the Halloween Carnival. Another project I looked into is helping Blossom to build up your partnerships program. The partnership program provids discounts for partner organizations and their members. Big companies have the same types of programs, and I enjoyed helping Blossom build a foundation for its partnership program.

Tobi: Wow! You really accomplished a lot here in just a few days. Thank you so much for all your help!

Jennifer: My pleasure.

Blossom is very pleased to have the opportunity to continue our relationship with Intuit. In 2010 we were the proud recipients of their Love a Local Business grant. You can read all about it here. 

Does your employer have a similar program? As a community nonprofit, Blossom runs on a shoestring, volunteers help us bloom! Join our team of volunteers to keep our center humming for new and expectant families.  We welcome you with whatever time and talent you can offer (babies-in-tow are welcome too), give us a call 650-321-2326 to discuss your ideas!